If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Lighting in Magical Establishments

Dunno if this question has been asked before.

Muggles have electricity to light up their homes. What about wizards? They've got magic, so how would they light their homes? Bigger places, like the Ministry and Hogwarts and St. Mungo's? I recall reading something about fireplaces in Hogwarts, but fires can't possibly cover all the space.

Muggles have electricity to light up their homes. What about wizards? They've got magic, so how would they light their homes? Bigger places, like the Ministry and Hogwarts and St. Mungo's? I recall reading something about fireplaces in Hogwarts, but fires can't possibly cover all the space.

Hayden

The Great Hall is lit by torches on the wall and by thousands of floating candles (which mysteriously don't drip wax all over the place). It sounds inefficient to me, but that's just how it's done. Floating candles are only mentioned to be in the Great Hall, so I guess the rest of the castle is illuminated by a mixture of natural light from windows, torches, and fireplaces.

I suspect other magical buildings would be similar. But a sanitary environment like St. Mungos needs a cleaner source of light. From the lexicon:

It is mainly illuminated by shining crystal bubbles clustered in the middle of the ceiling (OP22).

I don't recall the main lighting sources for the Ministry of Magic, but they do have enchanted fake windows to shine light inside the underground complex.

I suspect other magical buildings would be similar. But a sanitary environment like St. Mungos needs a cleaner source of light. From the lexicon:

Quote:
It is mainly illuminated by shining crystal bubbles clustered in the middle of the ceiling (OP22).

This may be useful. Perhaps people do this in other places?

I don't recall the main lighting sources for the Ministry of Magic, but they do have enchanted fake windows to shine light inside the underground complex.

I think enchanted windows and some additional candles or torches would be enough. The Entrance Hall is quite large, so it must have these sources, along with loads of fireplaces people Floo into.

If they're enchanted, do you think the windows would always be light? Always morning or noon or even the start of sunset? I'm quite sure people work during the evenings and nights. I don't know why, but I just think enchanted windows would be enough. People have magic if they need any more light.

However, at Hogwarts, magic isn't allowed in the corridors. Detention would be sad if there's only one fireplace. I just don't know...I'm worried about nighttime. Harry and Ron are always going out for little adventures out of bounds. There must be a lot of windows and moonlight, then, to see where they're going. With the aid of Lumos, of course.

What about Hogwarts corridors? In the night? Are the castle walls or ceilings clustered with torches and candles?

I haven't read the books in ages, but doesn't Harry take an oil lamp when looking in the restricted section in PS? This could be a source of light as well.

I think the oil lamp was just to help keep up the action and suspense, with it falling and breaking and all. And it was in the Library, which would probably have been closed anyway. But he needed the oil lamp the whole way...so there must only be windows and torches at Hogwarts.

Another thing: what about homes? What would the lighting be like in Malfoy Manor, The Burrow, and a regular house like the Potters'?

Hmmm... isn't there a chandelier in Malfoy Manor that Dobby drops on Bellatrix? I would assume that has a lot of candles. I think traditionally, houses would be lit by candles and torches and fires, so in big houses with houselves, that might be the sole lightsource. They don't even have to spend a long time lighting all the candles if they have wands. And I bet the candles could be charmed to not drip wax. Also: Hermione can conjure fire in a jar, can't she? So magical fire might work, too. Maybe flames in glass balls or something? Maybe that's the crystal bubbles in St. Mungo's. I'd guess that most houses would be lit either by candles and torches or by the crystal bubbles or a combination. Maybe wizarding homes have a lot of skylights, too.

And remember, the Great Hall has the ceiling that looks like the sky. So it would be as bright as outside in the daytime, and candles would only be neccessary at night.